/*
 * Copyright (c) 2012, marco.tamburelli@gmail.com
 * All rights reserved.
 * 
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: 
 * 
 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
 *    list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 
 * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
 *    this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
 *    and/or other materials provided with the distribution. 
 * 
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
 * ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
 * WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
 * DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
 * ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
 * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
 * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
 * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
 * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
 * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 */
package org.bmi.gwt.mi.shared.communication.attribute;

import com.google.gwt.user.client.rpc.IsSerializable;

/**
 * This class represents an attribute. Attribute objects are immutable, once
 * initialized it's impossible to change the value they represent.
 * 
 * @param <T> The type of the carried value.
 * 
 * @author marco.tamburelli@gmail.com
 */
public abstract class AttributeValue<T> implements IsSerializable
{
	protected T value;

	/**
	 * Empty constructor required to enable the serialization. Actually it
	 * shouldn't be used.
	 */
	public AttributeValue()
	{}

	/**
	 * Constructor which sets the value of the attribute.
	 * 
	 * @param value The value carried by the attribute.
	 */
	public AttributeValue(T value)
	{
		this.value = value;
	}

	public T getValue()
	{
		return this.value;
	}

	@Override
	public String toString()
	{
		return this.value.toString();
	}
}
